Karachi           -      President Dr. Arif Alvi has said that despite outbreak of Covid-19, government took a bold decision to open businesses to support daily wagers.

He was talking to a delegation of Anjuman-e-Tajiran Sindh led by Haji Muhammad Javed Qureshi who called on him in Karachi on Monday.

The president emphasised on following the SOPs at public dealing places. He said that government was fully aware of the problems of common man and poor strata of the society.

The delegation apprised the president of hardships being faced by the business community in wake of Covid-19. They informed the president that despite problems, their business was restoring to normalcy.

They also appreciated the government’s stimulus package and its decision to keep the businesses open with SOPs.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Karachi electronics and mobile dealers led by Abdul Rauf Essa also called on the president.

720 shops, 167 hotels sealed for violating SOPs

The federal capital administration has imposed Rs2, 128,600 fine on ship-owners and sealed around 720 shops over violation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), issued by the government to curb further spread of coronavirus pandemic.

Some 167 hotels, 39 workshops and 26 industrial units were also sealed during the last three month over violations of COVID-19 SOPs, according to a report shared by the Islamabad administration on Monday.  

Secretary, Islamabad Transport Authority (ITA), Kamran Cheema, took actions against public transport and inspected as many as 2447 vehicles. He issued challan to 1552 vehicles after founding violations. Some 95 vehicles were also impounded during the same period.

Talking to APP he said the teams of ITA were monitoring regularly at bus terminals and wagon stands to ensure the implementation of COVID-19 SOPs.  Actions were being taken over the non-compliance, following the directions of Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, he added.

The assistant commissioners while conducting price checking in their respective areas imposed Rs1, 841,700 fine and booked 238 persons, besides, lodging FIR (First Information Report) against 13 persons.

Talking to APP, Deputy Commissioner, Hamza Shafqaat said the district administration had been employing all available resources to keep contain spread the virus.

The cases of COVID-19, he said were being reported with decreased statistics of suspects from all urban and rural parts of the city due to tireless efforts of the administration.

“I and my team have not taken a single day off and had worked round the clock to monitor COVID-19 related activities,” the DC remarked.  Strict actions were being taken to ensure the implementation of SOPs in the city to keep the citizens safe against the pandemic, Shafqaat added.